Media coverage of the oil spill’s effect on the Gulf focusing on
tourist income lost by the waterfront towns – with footage of empty
beaches, restaurants and T-shirt shops – dominates the news. Interviews
with devastated business owners are heart rending. But they always end
with references to somehow hanging on until “things get back to
normal.”

Trouble is, things are not going to “normalize.” Not for the Panhandle
of Florida, and probably not for the rest of the state, either.

Projections suggest that Florida can expect oil all along its west
coast, and possibly throughout the Keys and up the east coast as well.
Yet even before BP’s well began spewing crude, pressures within the
state’s economy were building. It was an explosive situation awaiting a
match.

Oily beaches and dying wildlife are likely that match.

Take unemployment. Statewide, it ballooned from 3% in 2006 to a peak of
12.3% in February 2010. Though it’s backed off, it remains in
double-digit territory at 11.2%. ”Officially” – though official numbers
understate the problem. Illegal immigrants, some 4.5% of Florida’s
population, aren’t counted; the long-term unemployed and aging workers
are regularly purged, even if they’re still looking for work.

This in a state already confronted with the worst of the coming
healthcare/taxation crunch. It has the second oldest population in the
nation, and as its citizens retire, their earnings fall off, causing
tax revenues to drop. At the same time, healthcare bills rise,
stressing social service budgets.

Florida is ground zero for Baby Boomer demographics. With 600 seniors
for every 1,000 workers now, and the number trending inexorably higher,
soon every employed person in the state will essentially have to adopt
one senior to care for out of his or her paycheck.

Housing? Naturally, rising unemployment amplifies the difficulties of
maintaining homeownership. With further negative effects from the oil,
we can only expect the situation to worsen. A tsunami of defaults and
foreclosures – and bank failures – would not be a surprise.

Florida is mortgaged to the hilt. It ranks second only to California in
total securitized non-agency mortgage loans, 10% of the national
total. Of those, half are 60 days or more delinquent, or 16% of all
such mortgage delinquencies in the country, the highest ratio anywhere.

The state is full of retirees trying to live on modest incomes while
hanging on to their homes. Unsurprisingly, this has led to a
disproportionate amount of at-risk loans. 85% of the statewide pool is
rated Alt-A or Subprime.

Nor has the crash in prices bypassed the Sunshine State. Nationally,
fewer than 30% of houses sold for a loss in the past year, compared to
nearly 50% in Miami and 65% in Orlando.

Many would-be sellers are clinging to the cliff edge by their
fingernails. Overall, 81% of all Florida loans are under water, with
the average mark-to-market loan-to-value ratio standing at 138%. Almost
40% of borrowers are crushed beneath debt of more than 150% of the
value of their homes.

State government is no better off.

As the oil cuts into employment prospects, tax revenues will nosedive –
and even before the blowout, the state was broke. The projected budget
shortfall for fiscal year 2011 was $4.7 billion. What it will actually
be is anyone’s guess – a bigger number is baked in the cake – but at
$4.7 billion, it already represented more than 22% of the FY10 budget.

Both tax hikes and service cuts are political suicide. And desperately raising taxes in a depressed economy tends to decrease revenue, anyway. Yet a balanced budget is mandated by law. Where will the additional money and/or savings come from?

Then there’s Florida’s $113.8 billion public pension fund. It must
generate earnings of 7.75% per year to meet its commitments to the
nearly one million public employees and retirees who depend on it.

What investment safely yields 7.75% today? Nothing. So the fund’s
administrators are asking for permission to try some “riskier”
investments. Maybe they’ll succeed. Or maybe they’ll wind up staring
down the barrel of a pensioners riot.

Florida’s coming problems are intractable, at best; the least bit of bad luck and they may become utterly irresolvable.

Expect bailouts. Washington will not be able to ignore what happens to
this beleaguered state. The federal government will be forced to spend
yet more vast sums of money that it doesn’t have, on a recovery that
will take years, if it ever happens.

Go to census.gov or some website that provides census data, sort out FLorida's zipcodes by median household income in 2000,

A few of those towns are now bankrupt... and those are the locations with supposedly the greatest private wealth concentration in the state.

Destin, Long Boat Key, Palm Beach, east Boca Raton, Key West, Merritt Island etc. THe bigger nail in the coffin is the death of the Kennedy Space Center and 2ndary industries and tertiary economy. The SpaceCoast is in freefall, Flagler county is downright scary in terms of every econometric and social stat you can find.

However, RevPAR for hotels is UP, significantly, in the last year. So much so that any hotel owned outright before ~1999, i.e. without a mortgage, can now run a positive rate of return.

Not all tourists go to the beach. Not al beach goers get in the water. All those old people can't walk on sand safely, and it doesn't affect their holiday plans.

Exactly how much oil damage has FL seen? I don't know the answer to that but I haven't run across reports of widespread oil contamination of their beaches / wetlands. And I'm not trying to diminish what pollution has occurred - or that their gulf coast tourism economy hasn't been impacted. But with most of the oil evaporating / dispersing - it seems more likely that FL will be left with just a junked out economy rather than alos having the now discredited Simmon's environmental apocalypse piling on.

I am in Florida. I haven't heard about oil on the beaches/wetlands as much as I'd expected. However, we stay away from the beaches. My concern is the chemical dispersants that BP put into the water. In the past, we have been scalloping in the Gulf, swimming and fishing. Now, I don't let my children swim and we darn sure won't be eating from the Gulf. Did you see the dead fish in Jersey? Did they come from Florida? I sure don't know, but won't take the chance either.

I'm far from FL but like to visit there...other than the old Q Tips from the northeast that bugger up traffic ;)...I'd be cautious also about shellfish from the Gulf at this point - but the reports of east coast fish die-offs and linkage to anything in the GOM don't add up. Maybe they are linked, but nobody has offered any proof - and certainly no evidence that sufficiently dense plumes of Corexit and/or Oil have remained intact and flowed all the way up the eastern US seaboard. The proof thusfar is akin to saying "wow it's hot today, that global warming sure is getting worse..." or vice versa...Now -- enter conspiracy theory - Gov't and Big Oil covering up the oil/corexit migration. As someone trained in engineering, and practicing a long time, the Jersey/GOM linkage doesn't pass an initial screening for credibility - though I wouldn't completely rule it out.

Frack that noise. Solidarity will NOT be the word of the day when the reflation efforts end and the reckoning arrives. It's back to the the very truth itself: Everyone takes care of their own self, kin, and property FIRST. Neighbors and local government needs secondarily. Far away irresponsible people way down the down the list.

It's worse then that. You can buy a decent house in Ft. Myers for $50k. Probably a $200,000 house in 2005. I'm sure that there were a lot of honest people that bought at those prices and got caught up in it all. Some compassion is deserved.

It's an old Cracker plot to drive the interloping non-natives away...ROTFL.

Empathy, sure OK, fine.

But how many tee shirt outlets are really needed? The northerners could use the tan anyways as the glare from their half naked bodies is a traffic hazard as well as an assault on the senses...LOL. The value added by yet another McDonald's to feed soylent green to masses of loud, boorish, obnoxious, nasal talking, pastey transplants is exactly...zero.

Oil? Pish posh. We have organism's that dine on it at most depths. Our mosquito's have been known to carry off small pets. Along with sharks, sting rays, jelly fish, alligators, water moccasins and rabid racoons it's a wonder anyone can survive outside the confines of an air conditioned condo on the tenth floor.

And traffic. Good Lord! They apparently remove most of the turn signal levers on cars with out of state plates. On the ones that were missed somehow, you can find those signalling a right turn from the left lane for five miles before they finally get the lever unscrewed to disable it and slam on the brakes, put it in park with all the passengers looking everywhere but to they're front!

There are exceptions to every rule, regarding the NE...yourself being one in my opinion. And I mean that about you.

When I was a kid there was an old guy who retired down here from Bawwwstun. Helluva a guy. Used to take all the kids to the ball games at Al Lang Field. Just loved the game, enjoyed kids & people, a widower with no family closing out his life in retrospect. Great guy, helped alot of people in distress on even his moderate means.

But I won't lie...most I have found from that area of the country I wouldn't piss on them if they were laying in front of me on fire writhing in agony. Upon hearing the accent my antenna go up and my hand instinctively reaches to see if my wallet is still there ;-)

Yeah, not bad. Just taking a break from cuttin the grass right now. Had some wind come through that knocked some big limbs down...was chain sawing...till the chainsaw puked, so I just got the tractor and pushed them into the woods.

I got caught up to date on Jeff Hardings four part piece on the financial deformed bill this morning...a good read if you havn't read it.

Most of it I knew about...some I didn't. The expansion of the state continues. The bill (law now) is just another "look we did something" kinda thing. The lobbyist's will form the rules for regulating behind closed doors...same as it ever was.

An observation about the Ocala area maybe your aquiantance can confirm or deny for me. I've noticed most of the "good" horse farms are to the west side of I-75. I've often wondered if it was because the limestone and dolomite was closer to the surface in that area promoting stronger bones.

Good to hear that you didn't take offence at the Cracker thing. I have a new job that requires me to teach across the internet (vs. what I fridken know-with a chalk-board) and I'm learning how tough a presentation is when I can't see audience faces. Just one of those on the side things. Not the real job (what is a real job these days?)

We're flat out, looking for qualified engineers. I spent most of the weekend working on new business. Quite a dichotomy (sp?) between the real economy and O-vision of same. Michelle not doin' so bad,though. So, yes, going well and my son starts work tomorrow.

I'll look for Harding, unfamiliar to me.

And I'll ask my craca' friend about the geo question. He's pretty settled, so he'd give me a) the truth, or b) his opinion. I might have to meet him and pour an adult beveridge into him before he'd admit the truth.

Hell no...why would I...heh heh...well, we both know why, but I take it in the "spirit" it was given. There are other Crackers on here from what I can tell, a Conch and probably more Parrot Heads than will admit to it.

"We're flat out, looking for qualified engineers."

Many good ones are retired and have no desire to get back into the meat grinder of corp at any price, the young ones, fresh out of school have potential but need senior engineers to guide them in more complex projects...and some are getting ready to retire or do something else...so I hear...

"Quite a dichotomy (sp?) between the real economy and O-vision of same."

I think it's exactly what is desired...whether it's the Cloward-Piven strategy, corporate capture or complete incompetence, the result is the same...continued hardship for the worker bees. If one were actually trying to damage the economy what would be done different than what has been done up to this point? I'm staying with the latter (incompetence) until evidence presents itself of the other two possibilities.

Good deal on your son...mine goes into middle school this year, honor roll student with an attitude...get's it from his mom ;-)

"I might have to meet him and pour an adult beverage into him before he'd admit the truth."

Agreed. My family is 5th generation Floridian. We are smart, stealth, backwoods country folks from North Florida. If TSHF, you'll want us bringing our guns to the fight. We are locked, cocked and ready to rock. Florida from south of Ocala should be severed and dropped into Gulf.

My lineage goes back pretty far as well...but you are definitely a Cracker...a term of endearment as you know.

If you cut a line from about Hernando/Pasco east west and let it float off it would suit me as well...the sheer volume of parasites down there makes it uninhabitable.

As far as the fish kill in Jersey, as far as the gulf stream, it seems it would carry them out to sea. So it seems like a localized fish kill at first blush. Maybe I'll look at current flows and the species of the fish (deep water vs. shallow water) later.

Right now, I'm going to go back to school shopping and take advantage of the no state sales tax law that this "backward state" has...ROTFL.

Bait fish kills happen. It is not necessarily a sign of man-made toxins. Bluefish or Strippers will corner a school in a cove and munch on any that try to flee the safety of numbers. Those that opt to stay in the cove, can and do die-off in large numbers due to lack of disolved oxygen.

As Hardwood points out, menhaden is a bait fish and is pretty fragile regarding it's needs (dissolved oxygen). Looks like something local killed them. The gulf stream turns east off the Carolina's and Virginny.

Some bozo down thread said Fla. dumps raw sewage into the waters. No. To my knowledge this practice was stopped here although they do it up North so maybe that's what did it...yankees are well known for shitting in their dinner bucket...LOL.

As for the oil spill. When it happened I went out and stocked up and stuck it in the freezer. Give it a year or so it should be fine. The volume of water to oil/corexit we're talking about is huge...but no ones taking any chances, me included. On the Atlantic side it should not be a concern.

Now, the tongue in cheek Anectodal Back to School Florida Tax Holiday Shopping Report that ZHer's have been anxiously awaiting...or not. Junk away if you must...LOL.

Just the boy's this round and from my perspective of course...the girls do their own thing.

We got there early and the shelves were well stocked. Walmart (yes Walmart) had youth jeans priced at $12.00. Backpacks $25.00-$30.00 (which were not, the backpacks, to squire nmewn's liking). Parking lot half full but filling as we left.

The mall was quiet as we entered and little nmewn was on mission walking five paces ahead of me. Directly ahead was one of those over priced stores that are found there (Billabong etc.) and of course he made a beeline for it. Rooting through the light selection of bookbags he came up with one...$50.00...GAG! The clerk allowed that it was buy one get one half off anything in the store. The bookbag was all...and enough for me.

On to JC Penney, at the other end of the mall, where it was moderately crowded and well stocked. Daddy needed some new Dockers $25.00 each. By the time we were leaving the store had become quite crowded especially in the shoe department.

Over at Game Stop squire nmewn had a little trading to do. No currency changed hands and he left with the battery pack he needed and a $10.00 credit on his account.

Observations;

Stores were filling rapidly because of the weekend tax savings.

It was a pleasure to pay exactly what was listed on the signage ie $25.00 X 2 = $50.00. The prices were not marked up for the weekend, recon...LOL.

Overall, a good program initiated by the state of Fla. for the people of Fla. which you will not hear me say often. Good also for the retailers to move their merchandise and very good for the shop that sold the overpriced bookbag.

I bought school supplies end of July, first of August. I didn't want to deal with the crowds. Nothing like fighting with a woman three times your size over a 20 cent wal-mart folder, as her child stand idly by screaming because he/she can't have McDonalds. No thanks, I'll pay the sales tax. Caught some cool sales.

I don't know about the fish thing. I come from a long line of dirt farmers. We did most of our fishing in rivers. Never seen fish die is such quantities....unless it was preparation for a family reunion. Friends would take us out into the Gulf. Not so much fishing anymore, life got too fast.

"Nothing like fighting with a woman three times your size over a 20 cent wal-mart folder..."

I hear ya. That's why we went early. I think it's a great idea (Tax Holiday) for the retailers & the people. It just so happened Tyler threw this up and we got some idiots who thought they knew anything about Fla. by having visited Disney or the beach.

I loved it...LOL.

"I come from a long line of dirt farmers."

Same, half way. My mom was from S.Ga. Small town around Valdosta. My dad was from (hold your breath) Brooklyn...LOL.

Raised on the coast, mostly, born in the Burg. Moved around alot. Lived in Jax back when the smell of the paper mills was all you smelled and Hialeah down south which was cool. We have acorns around here like they have coconuts. That was pretty wild...but you get used to it...don't park your car under that tree ;-)

I remember Red Tides growing up being pretty frequent things along the west coast of Fla. having to do with algae blooms in the summer. I'm 50 now. Don't know about the east coast as the waters much cooler in the Atlantic. I really don't think the menhaden fish kill is related to the oil spill just by the sheer volume of water & tidal action diluting anything that might make it up that far. Take note of the eyes of the fish. They have not been dead that long. Still say it's a local thing.

Re. the New Jersey kill: I read in a local (there) online newspaper that the water is 85 degrees. Warm water doesn't hold oxygen well. The fish apparently were chased up a river, which was measured and had a low oxygen count - from the high temps and bio-runoff stuff getting into the water. The fish died in the river and were swept out into the bay. They apparently didn't die in the bay.

Thanks for the update Richard, it seemed like a stretch for it to be linked to the spill.

I'm beginning to wade into Jeff Hardings piece on the Financial Reform Act. Somehow I missed him posting it here until I saw it late last night. Probably because I was chasing rabbits...or rotting fish ;-)

Hi Floridians... From Key Biscayne when it was a fishing village. Raised in a conch house with cistern for water collection.

We are on the East Coast Flagler County now. Gulf Stream distance from beach varies a little but is about 50 miles out and travels north about 3 to 4 Knots per hr. Boaters out of St Augustine that lose power in the Stream usually wind up off the coast of N or S Carolina before being rescued if they have no radio and GPS to report their position.

Have seen no oil or smelled any dispersants yet. No fish kills this year but the red tide often kills many fish during summers.

Economy here is terrible. When the credit crisis hit many old beach front hotels had been destroyed in anticipation of new hotels/condos being built. Now just vacant beach front lots with huge holes where the parking garages were intended. Some new condos were completed but stand mostly empty. No new res/commercial construction going on except a few new Dollar Stores. Few jobs available. Many, many homes for sale.

Any reports on oil contamination from West Coast Fl appreciated. Thanks.

The reorganization of the American government after World War II -- thecreation of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency along British lines, forexample -- had devastating consequences. We are concerned here with onlycertain aspects of that overall transformation, those matters of policy andfamily which gave shape to the life and mind of George Bush, and gave himaccess to power.

It was in these postwar years that George Bush attended Yale University,and was inducted into the Skull and Bones society. The Bush family's homeat that time was in Greenwich, Connecticut. But it was just then thatGeorge's parents, Prescott and Dorothy Walker Bush, were wintering in apeculiar spot in Florida, a place that is excluded from mention inliterature originating from Bush circles.

Certain national news accounts early in 1991 featured the observations onPresident Bush's childhood by his elderly mother Dorothy. She was said tobe a resident of Hobe Sound, Florida. More precisely, the President'smother lived in a hyper-security arrangement created a half-century earlierby Averell Harriman, adjacent to Hobe Sound. Its correct name is JupiterIsland.

Most of the people speaking here are transplanted trash... I am Local in multiples of degrees... I could tell you a story about Al Capone getting told to shut the fuck up and sit down by a large Wall Street name at the Bath and Tennis.... but the humor of starting worldwide wars verses city wide would most certainly be lost.

Florida needs to invest the pension funds in gold. It is the only thing that will return 7.75% per year. It is one of the few assets returning double digit gains for the past 10 years. Doesn't sound like there are any smart people in Florida though, especially in government.

Yes, I hate florida. I can't even step outside without being consumed with digust: pastel colored suburbia with a case of rot, completely insignificant.

I won't even start on the people--I'm trying to control my hatred...to some degree.

edit:

The place looks the same to me over the years, but I've always thought that florida looked like garbage, depression or not. I don't pay attention to the proletariat enough to be aware of their current plight.

Interesting thing is, if Matt Simmon's (and many other people's) projections of mass evacuations come to pass, FL will be one of the worst hit, due to it's demographics (older folk, hard to move, junkies from Miami not getting their fixes). It has the worst of everything for such a scenario.

They are saying that Bonnie spread acid rain way up-country. What happens when the first real storm hits?

I second that. Try to get a same-day reservation at a decent restaurant in Orlando. Florida has gotten pretty messed up, but has a long history of boom/bust. 15 year from now, people will be looking back and thinking of all the missed opportunities.

Since I actually live in the area, let me clear things up for you. The businesses that cater to the petit bourgeoisie are still in business because they are the ones stupid enough to still be spending like it's 1999. Yes, International Plaza is still blowing out Coach purses and Tiffany necklaces like mad. Stray a bit further from the Mons Venus and the Penthouse Club and you'll see a frightening amount of "For Lease" signs in each and every strip mall you come to, and believe me, in Florida that's a shit-ton. I live here and I'm scared. You're visiting and you're not; well, good for you, but... Um, gold much, bitchez?

I actually live in central Florida now, and have since before Disney, except for a few years in Europe and Asia. Yes things are bad now, but there is nothing new here. Florida has a long history of screw ups, speculation, booms and busts. Sooner or later, all them Yankees up north will get tired of the cold and come back down here with their money.

Yeah, till you've seen 'Coconuts' with the Marx Bros making fun of the Florida Real Estate boom and scams of the 1920s you can't appreciate how long Florida has lived and died with real estate boom and bust...maybe this bust will be longer than most but thats OK by me, I liked Fl in the 1950s-60s.

My uncle from Maryland visited Miami once and caught a stray 9MM in the arm while exiting a shopping mall. He hasn't been back to visit me since...and he didn't appreciate me telling him how lucky he was. lol

Having lived in south Florida for 35 years, I would gladly put up with some pain here than a good day anywhere else in the USA.

Where do such "experts" get the audacity to decry any place in the USA when everyplace is bankrupt? What is this authors purpose and goal here. He takes 'possibilities, could be's, what if's, and reweaves them into a 'story' of truth? I think NOT. There is no doubt this state which has NO INCOME tax is short on funds. No doubt some areas of the state are hurting. But overall Florida is just fine, thank you very much. Yes, the Panhandle had some oil damage, but the rest of the 3,000 miles of Florida's shore is clean and the water is clear. I have been from Ft Myers to Key West and to Palm Beach in the last month and the shore is clean, water clear, and fish are fine. In Key West the water was clear to 50 feet, schools of tropical fish were all around the pier at both the Casa Marina and over at Mallory Square too.

Some jack ass writes some crap and the whole world swallows it like the last meal on earth. Florida is advertising BECAUSE of the lousy main stream media ( and idoits like this author) are to stupid and lazy to check out the truth but instead spew lies to get the ignorant to 'stay tuned' and absorb the next commercial. BP gave Florida 25 million to advertise the truth the MEDIA destroyed for a commercial sponsor and a gold star for some talking head.

Mix apples and oranges, and some nuts and you can create any story you want about anyplace or anything or anybody. But telling the real truth is something that America just can't seem to get it's arms around anymore.

But you do have to admit that the whole "Sunshine State" shtick is a crock, Dec - March can be cold and rainy even in South FL. This past winter I don't think the temperature rose above 70 for 6 straight weeks in Jan and Feb and many mornings were in the 30s and 40s. Better than the streets of Chicago but not the paradise marketeers make it out to be, a lot of pissed off tourists this past winter.

I agree that except for the panhandle oil is a non issue though the tale will be told if we get red tides this winter, it's been some time since a bad one hit. The other factor is the severity and number of hurricanes this fall never good for tourism or for housing. And housing in SWFL continues to be weak. At the very high end a recent sale of a house that sold for $16m in 2003 (probably 20-25 at the peak in 05) just changed hands for $11m.

Florida's problems are no different than America's. Texas is thought by many to have bypassed the worst of this. Baloney. Our county and school district continue to operate irresponsibly in the face of declining revenues. Their solution? Raise rates. I suggested to one county official to be sure to save a little room in the budget for a gallows. At least, I opined, it was something that could be put to productive use. I told him not to worry, that the people would probably start with county judges and school administrators and that a mid level bureaucrat like him would have time to flee, like the proverbial rat off of the sinking ship. I think he understood, sort of.

It’s not even scheduled, but the last Commission in 2005 went beyond just recommending another round, it even drafted legislation - it “strongly recommends future BRACs every 8 to 12 years, immediately following a Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The Commission recommends that the next round of BRAC formally begin in 2015 and has proposed legislative text in Appendix R for referral and consideration by Congress and the President.”

There will probably be a lot of politicking to head one off.

In the meantime, Eglin will probably be picking up 59 F-35s as a result of the 2005 BRAC.Depends on environmental impact.

"With 600 seniors for every 1,000 workers now, and the number trending inexorably higher, soon every employed person in the state will essentially have to adopt one senior to care for out of his or her paycheck."

The strange thing is that, with the present level of technological advances of mankind, with the present level of productivity made possible by the present day technology, it would be possible each working-age person "adopt" three or four seniors, plus one child. For "adopt" I mean "producing enough to fit the basic and intermediate needs" of the "adopted" and the own needs.

I am not sure why someone would junk you for that comment, it's sadly true in many cases. The level of poverty unless you have seen it first hand is difficult to describe. Head inland from the beach 10 or 20 miles and in some locations it's a different world whether its just plain bad ass trash or decent folks who have fallen off the radar living in shanties.

There is another factor you did not mention that is killing Florida. ZIRP. All those retirees owned bonds. They are too old to own any meaningful amount of stocks (or they listen to CNBC and they are crazy).

So as ZIRP drags on the bond portfolio matures (or is called away) and income is falling and with it consumption.

The concept of pension funds needing high return to service obligations is not unique to FL. Behind the scenes, IMO, this is the reason the market has defied gravity for so long. Too much desperate money chasing yield - using leverage and buying into junk. Most likely occurring through less regulated channels instead of traditional asset classes that most view as too volatile. Of course, this will seriously end bad. The last bunch of baby seals to be clubbed will be the pension funds. When that occurs, all hell breaks loose. Of course, it is inevitable as we know, because the financial black hole created is orders of magnitude larger.

Regarding Florida specifically, it is quickly becoming a very expensive place to live without income levels to support it. The further south, the more this true. I am not talking here about those want to live like a rock star in Miami of course. I am talking about the average folks who have been here for a long time and did not get caught up in the housing bubble - like myself. The cost of homeowners insurance, health insurance, and ultilities alone have almost quadrupled since 2004. On the plus side, if when the SHTF we lose the grid, at least in Florida we don't have as much of a winter to deal with! On the flip-side, most suburban areas here are simply filled with thugs. This is one seriously angry and violent state. All said, I give Florida two enthusiastic thumbs down. Given the factual statistics (outlined by author above), Florida will be one of the first states to burst into financial flames.

Insurance is a nightmare, but no state income tax and if you're mortgage free I know many who self insure as in no inusrance. Housing is (can be) cheap but crime is an issue and travelling the backroads offers scenes of poverty second to none. Many parts of the state are beautiful but much of it (especially on the east coast) is a paved over paradise. Agreed that parts are angry and violent, just read the crime blotter of any of the local papers. In gated/controlled communities with the number of vacant houses some are having a tough time making budget for common expenses, golf communities, condos having similar challenges.

Wander through some of the less affluent urban neighborhoods and it's not uncommon for chickens and roosters to be roaming about (free range?) with the bleating of goats in the background (not that there's anything wrong with that). The Salvation Army, Goodwill and similar resale stores that I am familiar with in in FL are always busy.

I live in Ca and your posting make me feel a little better. It is 100% guaranteed that for CA and FL will receive massive FED bailout money. The money is needed to buy the Presidential election. BTW, I read 8% of all births in the US are to illegals, most of whom have no father. These babies are now citizens under the 14th admendment. Who is paying for the medical cost of these new babies? These are likely billion $ babies with the FED paying for their food, housing, education, schooling for the next 18 years. Just another insane policy. Will there be a smooth landing to all these problems....not likely.

Agree with Blindfaith, South Florida is a vibrate community of diverse cultures all trying to survive and raise families. It is an exciting and fun place to live that is always changing. Having traveled throughout the US apart from LA or NY I cannot think of a more exciting place to live. We will survive!

@Janice and others....I live in South Florida but originally came from Virginia. Virginia people tend to look "down" on the whole rest of the country no matter where one is with disdain. I don't share such immature views. But, Janice - "We are locked, cocked and ready to rock." For what? That is a psychotic statement in and of itself. Frankly, I live in South Florida and most down in South Florida would love nothing more than to secede from the whole lot - the whole country. Key West tried. Northern Florida is well-known as very racist and extremely conservative to the point of "psycho" - the evangelical "base" of North Florida is beyond belief in extremist values. Florida has always been a banana republic. It has always been f'd up. Always. Our state is lovely enough to be the baseline for oxycontin etc. "medical clinics" - legal drug pushers - but those in North Florida would never think of legalizing marijuana ever. Miami has always run on a black and white market. Corruption in Florida politics is rampant - always has been. The number of lawyers in this state per person is staggering. In the last two months more beaches have been closed in South Florida for "high bacteria levels" but most idiots do not know that Florida pumps processed sewage into the Ocean. Our boaters are assholes that refuse to follow "no wake" zones and kill and maim a lot of our wildlife, including the peaceful manatees. But everyone seems to forget - the Alligators were here before US and they will be here after us. Crime is not "up" here....it has always been bad. Florida is the wild, wild west. As for people proud to be "crackers". Great. Think about what you are actually being proud of in the grand scheme of things and you might be a little disappointed. Florida could be a beautiful place but with cities like Orlando - that is a bonafied electrical grid theme park of crap that one would do best to avoid entirely - a city pretty much controlled by Disney, etc. It ain't going to get any better. Caveat - I would rather be in South Florida as the Shit Continues to Hit the Fan because some of those people here - the "god forbid" immigrants - are quite industrious; do not look to "governments - any of them" for assistance because they hail from places that are worse - but they "figure it out" and take care of their neighbors in the process. I know because a lot of them helped me during hurricanes and I did not speak Spanish and I was a "newbie" to it all. But, they helped me get trees out of my yard and off my roof despite a language barrier and the whole neighborhood came together and shared what we had with everyone. And, no one was "locked, cocked and ready to rock." They were just people trying to make it - day by day, hour by hour. And the gracious and kind assistance I received from said people was welcomed by me and others. And, I don't care that people speak another language than English. Most other people in the world outside "amerika" speak at least two languages - if not more.

Our country is obviously full of a bunch of morons with no knowlege of true human history at all. But then again, we have idiots that put bumper stickers on their cars "Operation Iraqi Freedom". That right there is evidence of ignorance and insanity.

And I love it in crazy Miami - at least down here - we admit things are crazy. It is what it is. The day "Florida" is not corrupt?????? Well - I don't even think that is possible. But then again we have people believing that a "fence" will protect us from issues between Mexico and the US. That is funny.

How nice of you to designate residents of Northern FL as racist psycho extremists. Someone else here posted about the anger, I think your comment is a good illustration of that (and I'm not referring to those who live in Northern FL).

As a multi-resident of FL I will say this....Lower Georgia, Jacksonville... is a total loss. Jacksonville has NEVER! been a self supporting local... meaning all those tax (bed) dollars carried Jacksonville and the rest of the State.

As a 5th generation Palm Beacher... I say all of you get the fuck out and go back to which ever exit in Jersey you are from... and / or other shit hole iceberg State. Freeze your balls off, kill yourselves… what the fuck ever just don’t move south!

We can knock the condo's down and make some nice new habitat for whatever can still find a mate after the oil soaks in…

How many different ways can I say fuck ya’ll and stay away? You are not wanted… any issues we have we will more than happily fix with or without idiots who drove in the snow for 20 fucking years only to have to pull over and stop for a sun shower now…no thanks.

Housing is expensive, you are not wanted and the State is Bankrupt! Stay Away! Please!!

Palm Beach, it figures. Hellhole of the Universe. Wassermann-Schultz, perhaps?

no palm beach rant is complete without including the 300lb multi-millionaire drug addict, the tabby cat asshair comb-over (borrowed comment from another ZH poster) and libidinous tee times with willing skanks as lurid sidebars.

Trump was pressured thru the courts to leave Palm Beach for over a Decade. Trump belongs in Boca, it suits him.

For instance? "Trump waves $25 million lawsuit in flap with Palm Beach over flag

South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted December 28 2006

Donald Trump's patriotic indignation has heated to a hard boil.

Now, he wants to boost the pain he hopes to inflict on the town fathers of Palm Beach to $25 million.

Just short of spitting over his speaker phone Wednesday, Trump said he intends to amend the lawsuit he filed against the town last week in a well-publicized controversy about flying an enormous American flag atop a hurricane-proof flag pole over his Mar-a-Lago home and private social club.

Instead of $10 million, The Donald now wants the town to pay him $25 million.

And, if he wins, he wants the payload to go to military members returning from Iraq."

On November 19, 1979, Deweese was arrested for lewd and indecent exposure. His offense consisted of running on a public bicycle and jogging path in the Town of Palm Beach without a shirt. This conduct allegedly violated section 21-48 of the Palm Beach, Florida, Code which provided:

I am not angry - it is what it is. Are you of color and live or travel through said areas? Probably not. For humanity to get past anger it has to admit truth but then again, racism is such a "dirty" thing to discuss honestly that most don't like it when called on it. But then again, I am not "locked, cocked and ready to rock". Are you aware of the laws passed in Northern Florida? Are you aware of how laws are meted out in Northern Florida? Are you aware of how voter registration is completed in Northern Florida? Of course there are always the exceptions to the rule but the majority of Northern Florida is my description. Most like it. Vote Rick Scott - he is doing very well in said area despte defrauding the government in a criminal case. But who cares says the base? He is Christian, he does not like immigrants, gays, etc. Again, I am not angry - a bit sad at the ignorance, but then again - ignorance is the American Way it appears.

pretty sure she was referring to ones who love to say 'locked cocked and ready to rock' or other such idiotic hollywood movie cliches that refer to being ready and willing to start shooting your neighbours first chance you get.

No, just have well documented information on same - which you do not since you can only make snide comments. I don't look at racism or those who hold racist views with disdain. Sadness is more like it. I am going back to my conclave of "immigrants" everyone in America dislikes so much......But, I like them. I learned a lot from people from other places and continue to do so every single day. You can always go be a Muslim and build a little mosque somewhere in Northern Florida and let's see how that works out for you. Or be black and speed a little bit - like 3 mph over the speed limit.

You better make sure you can even define racism (in your own words, young lady) before you continue on with your discrimnatory views of what you think you know about people you have never met and avoid meeting.

We can start here if you even care to continue;

"I know because a lot of them helped me during hurricanes and I did not speak Spanish and I was a "newbie" to it all."

What made you think a neighbor would not help a neighbor? Skin color? Language barrier even with a tree on your roof?...LOL.

Or was it your view of them initially or your percieved view of them of you?

I think it might be a good idea, at this point, to capture in toto what you said initially...for reference and posterity as "progressives" (the left) have the annoying habit of editing and/or deleting/denying what they said;

@Janice and others....I live in South Florida but originally came from Virginia. Virginia people tend to look "down" on the whole rest of the country no matter where one is with disdain. I don't share such immature views. But, Janice - "We are locked, cocked and ready to rock." For what? That is a psychotic statement in and of itself. Frankly, I live in South Florida and most down in South Florida would love nothing more than to secede from the whole lot - the whole country. Key West tried. Northern Florida is well-known as very racist and extremely conservative to the point of "psycho" - the evangelical "base" of North Florida is beyond belief in extremist values. Florida has always been a banana republic. It has always been f'd up. Always. Our state is lovely enough to be the baseline for oxycontin etc. "medical clinics" - legal drug pushers - but those in North Florida would never think of legalizing marijuana ever. Miami has always run on a black and white market. Corruption in Florida politics is rampant - always has been. The number of lawyers in this state per person is staggering. In the last two months more beaches have been closed in South Florida for "high bacteria levels" but most idiots do not know that Florida pumps processed sewage into the Ocean. Our boaters are assholes that refuse to follow "no wake" zones and kill and maim a lot of our wildlife, including the peaceful manatees. But everyone seems to forget - the Alligators were here before US and they will be here after us. Crime is not "up" here....it has always been bad. Florida is the wild, wild west. As for people proud to be "crackers". Great. Think about what you are actually being proud of in the grand scheme of things and you might be a little disappointed. Florida could be a beautiful place but with cities like Orlando - that is a bonafied electrical grid theme park of crap that one would do best to avoid entirely - a city pretty much controlled by Disney, etc. It ain't going to get any better. Caveat - I would rather be in South Florida as the Shit Continues to Hit the Fan because some of those people here - the "god forbid" immigrants - are quite industrious; do not look to "governments - any of them" for assistance because they hail from places that are worse - but they "figure it out" and take care of their neighbors in the process. I know because a lot of them helped me during hurricanes and I did not speak Spanish and I was a "newbie" to it all. But, they helped me get trees out of my yard and off my roof despite a language barrier and the whole neighborhood came together and shared what we had with everyone. And, no one was "locked, cocked and ready to rock." They were just people trying to make it - day by day, hour by hour. And the gracious and kind assistance I received from said people was welcomed by me and others. And, I don't care that people speak another language than English. Most other people in the world outside "amerika" speak at least two languages - if not more.

Our country is obviously full of a bunch of morons with no knowlege of true human history at all. But then again, we have idiots that put bumper stickers on their cars "Operation Iraqi Freedom". That right there is evidence of ignorance and insanity.

And I love it in crazy Miami - at least down here - we admit things are crazy. It is what it is. The day "Florida" is not corrupt?????? Well - I don't even think that is possible. But then again we have people believing that a "fence" will protect us from issues between Mexico and the US. That is funny.

Or the cuban ones.....I am sorry Virginia sucked for you so much. But then again, I ran also - way away so "it is what it is"......I am still made fun of by all spanish speaking peoples because my silly southern accent pronounces spanish in the most hilarious of ways - but at least I try!

Not mentioned is Florida's biggest potential liability... the next big hurricane. A few years ago, unhappy with high hurricane insurance rates (those damn private companies dared to use realistic underwriting!!), the state created its own hurricane fund using unrealistic underwriting to keep the rates low. A direct hit on Miami would likely cost Florida more than $100 billion, but even a couple average hurricanes (not an uncommon, unlikely outcome) would wipe out the insurance fund and bankrupt the state.

A direct hit on Miami would save FL major bucks. All those Anthony Weiner types would flee like the Wieners they are. The Haitians wouldn't even notice. 'Course they are all illegal, so would get mass bennies.

1. Approximately 1.2 million illegals who are absorbing a lot of the entry level jobs plus what little construction still exists driving workers to endure longer durations on the unemployment dole thanks to the limited work going to the cheapest labor source.

2. The great exodus; skilled members of the work force, engineers, architects, scientists, researchers, etc. are bugging out. They understand that not only does Florida face a demographic disaster due to the age of the population but Governor Crist did nothing in hist two years of tanning to resolve the state pension crisis which is building nor to reign in spending to any measurable level at the state level.

In fact Crist pressed forward with a deal to spend hundreds of millions of dollars that we do not have nor will we in next year's budget to buy out U.S. Sugar in the Everglades for "environmental" purposes. The end result is that with declining sales tax revenues, declinging business tax revenues, and property prices facing anywhere from a 10-35% haircut below their current levels, there will insufficient incoming funds to maintain the status quo much less fund future liabilities.

All it will take to bankrupt our state now is one or two major hurricanes like we experienced in 2004 and our fine little state might beat California in the race to become the first state to endure a Federal Conservatorship.

As a multi-resident of FL I will say this....Lower Georgia, Jacksonville... is a total loss. Jacksonville has NEVER! been a self supporting local... meaning all those tax (bed) dollars carried Jacksonville and the rest of the State.

As a 5th generation Palm Beacher... I say all of you get the fuck out and go back to which ever exit in Jersey you are from... and / or other shit hole iceberg State. Freeze your balls off, kill yourselves… what the fuck ever just don’t move south!

We can knock the condo's down and make some nice new habitat for whatever can still find a mate after the oil soaks in…

How many different ways can I say fuck ya’ll and stay away? You are not wanted… any issues we have we will more than happily fix with or without idiots who drove in the snow for 20 fucking years only to have to pull over and stop for a sun shower now…no thanks.

Housing is expensive, you are not wanted and the State is Bankrupt! Stay Away! Please!!

JW, While I don't exactly disagree with your sentiment unless you are Timucuan (or some other Pre-Seminole group) then you are in the same line with the rest of the folks from Jersey. You may be closer to the front of the line but it's still the same line... Hell, there are Spanish, French, and Brits in Florida before the Seminole in case you wished to bring them up..... Not trying to pick a fight, just to point out that someone else can say the same thing you did- to you.... CB

Since I actually live in the area, let me clear things up for you. The businesses that cater to the petit bourgeoisie are still in business because they are the ones stupid enough to still be spending like it's 1999. Yes, International Plaza is still blowing out Coach purses and Tiffany necklaces like mad. Stray a bit further from the Mons Venus and the Penthouse Club and you'll see a frightening amount of "For Lease" signs in each and every strip mall you come to, and believe me, in Florida that's a shit-ton. I live here and I'm scared. You're visiting and you're not; well, good for you, but... Um, gold much, bitchez?

Get back to the NE you hopeless f*cktard. The Mons Venus' standards are a bit too rigorous for you. Seriously? You've

QEsucks (a dick): I happen to have been born here and lived and worked my entire life here other than grad school. What the fuck does your reply have to do w/ anything I said? Your post said everything is fine; I'm riding my jetski and buying shit at the mall. This is only a small part of the total picture. Oh, and I have issues? Who is threatening whom with arson? Since maybe that's all you understand: bring your molotov and I'll be happy introduce you to my Russian friend, Kalashnikov. Now ride away on your pink jetski.

Thanks BillyBob (Southern Fried Slang for Sir William)!!!! You are GREAT! if we could get some GREAT! sponsers here.... I would Demand of Tyler that you did art work for at least Tyler's original stuff!